Introduction

Embracing imperfection is an essential part of the learning process. Middle school students often struggle with the fear of getting something wrong or not performing at their best. As educators, we can help them develop skills like positive self-talk, which involves replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. In this blog post, we will discuss an activity that promotes positive self-talk, provide discussion questions to stimulate further conversation, and mention related skills for students to explore.

No-Prep Activity: Positive Affirmation Cards

The Positive Affirmation Cards activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator. Here’s how it works:

1. Ask students to think of a situation where they felt inadequate or made a mistake.
2. Have them identify the negative thoughts they experienced during that situation.
3. Encourage students to come up with positive affirmations to replace those negative thoughts. Examples of positive affirmations include “I am capable,” “Mistakes help me learn,” and “I am doing my best.”
4. Ask students to write their positive affirmations on index cards or pieces of paper.
5. Invite students to keep their Positive Affirmation Cards with them and use them whenever they feel negative thoughts creeping in.

This activity helps students recognize their negative thoughts and replace them with positive self-talk, promoting a healthier mindset and increased confidence.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it important to acknowledge and accept our mistakes?
2. How can we support our classmates when they feel down or make a mistake?
3. What are some strategies to help us replace negative thoughts with positive ones?
4. How does positive self-talk impact our overall well-being and learning experience?
5. Can you think of a time when positive self-talk helped you overcome a difficult situation? Share your experience.

Related Skills

In addition to positive self-talk, there are other relevant skills middle school students can benefit from, including:

• Growth mindset: Embracing challenges and understanding that intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort and perseverance.
• Resilience: Bouncing back from setbacks and learning to adapt to difficult situations.
• Empathy: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others, which can help students support their classmates during challenging times.
• Active listening: Paying full attention to the speaker, asking clarifying questions, and providing feedback, which can help students better understand the perspectives of their peers.

Next Steps

If you’re interested in exploring more activities and resources for teaching positive self-talk and other essential skills, we encourage you to sign up for free samples of our materials at Everyday Speech. Our comprehensive library of resources can help you create engaging and effective lessons to support the social-emotional development of your middle school students.